Education

Ron Tomalis is the New Ed-Sec in Pennsylvania

By Sean Cavanagh — January 13, 2011 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

Ronald J. Tomalis, an experienced aide in Republican administrations at the federal and state level, has been named by Gov.-elect Tom Corbett as Pennsylvania’s next secretary of education.

Tomalis, 48 worked in the state’s department of education previously, when it was led by Eugene Hickok, and he later worked with Hickok when he moved to a top position in the U.S. Department of Education in George W. Bush’s administration. Together, Hickok and Tomalis worked extensively on guiding the administration of the No Child Left Behind Act, among other duties.

Corbett is a supporter of providing vouchers for students from low-income backgrounds, an issue that has drawn some interest from Pennsylvania lawmakers. He also called for charter school expansion, and, in keeping with the chorus coming from states around the country, for new methods of paying and evaluating teachers.The state’s outgoing governor, Ed Rendell, spoke out against the plan this week.

A version of this news article first appeared in the State EdWatch blog.